NBA free agency winners and losers: A case of the Cavs and Cav-nots

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the big winners of NBA free agency, but how did other teams fare?

Once LeBron James announced, “I'm Coming Home,” to Cleveland last Friday, the free-agency floodgates opened, with the player moves coming fast and furious.

James was the Pied Piper, the one who set in motion so much change in the NBA that it left some teams with high hopes, some with despair and some thinking they remain on the right course for next season.

James' decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second stint, obviously made them the big winners in the free-agency marketplace, and it left his old Miami Heat team a loser because it lost the best player on the planet.

So here is a quick look at the teams who are the winners, losers and wild cards during the free-agency period:

WINNERS

Cleveland

James spent his first seven NBA seasons playing for the Cavaliers, before spending the last four years in Miami. The Cavaliers had a woeful 97-215 record without him.

And just by rejoining the Cavaliers, James has made Cleveland into a championship contender.

The Cavaliers drafted Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft last month. And after James' decision, the Cavaliers signed free-agent small forward Mike Miller, who won two NBA championships with James in Miami.

Gasol averaged 17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 60 games last season for the Lakers. He's an upgrade at power forward over Carlos Boozer, who was just waived by the Bulls via the NBA's one-time amnesty provision.

The return of a healthy Derrick Rose, if he resembles the player who won the 2011 MVP award, will make Chicago a big winner.

Rose missed the entire 2012-13 season recovering from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and he missed 72 games last season after surgery for a torn cartilage in his right knee.

But if Rose is truly back to being that explosive point guard, and if Gasol gives them the offense they so desperately need, the Bulls have a very good chance of reaching the NBA Finals.

San Antonio

You just can't count this team out.

Coach Gregg Popovich, considered the best coach in the NBA, has agreed to a contract extension, and that should be enough to make the 2014 NBA champions contenders again.

It also helps that Tim Duncan, 38, has decided to play next season. And Tony Parker (France) and Manu Ginobili (Argentina) both decided not to play this summer for their respective countries in the World Championships, preferring to rest. And then there is the evolution of small forward Kawhi Leonard, 23, who was the Finals MVP.

The Knicks' Big Three consists of Anthony, new president Phil Jackson and new coach Fisher.

Jackson needs better players, Fisher needs coaching experience and Anthony will have to play the best hoops of his life to give the Knicks a chance of reaching the playoffs.

Brooklyn

The Nets lost Coach Jason Kidd (after his failed power coup) to Milwaukee, but gained a top-notch replacement in Lionel Hollins. The Nets got Jarrett Jack from Cleveland, and they re-signed Alan Anderson, but they also lost Paul Pierce (Wizards) and Shaun Livingston (Warriors) in free agency.